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Would you buy a Chevrolet S10?

2 of 7The Chevrolet S10 comes with a 2.4-liter gas engine or a 2.8-liter turbodiesel.

Photo by Chevrolet

3 of 7Even though the truck will be badged Colorado when it comes to the U.S., its packaging is bit different than that of the first-generation Colorado.

Photo by Chevrolet

4 of 7Expect Duratec engines in the Colorado when it comes to our shores.

Photo by Chevrolet

5 of 7The Australian-market Colorado has more cab options than the Brazilian market.

Photo by Chevrolet

6 of 7The S10's interior features all the goodies that you've come to expect from Chevrolet cabins.

Photo by Chevrolet

7 of 7The S10 has been on sale in other markets for a couple years ago, and is promised to appear in the U.S. a year from now.

Photo by Chevrolet

Last week we asked you if you would be interested in trying the Chevrolet Montana, a compact pickup truck based on a hatchback that manages to deliver 30 mpg while being able to haul as much weight as a Ford F-150. Quite a few you were impressed with the little trucklet, which is available in South America and parts of Central America. Some of you likened it to a descendant of the Subaru Brat. But one of the differences between the Brat and the Montana is that the Montana can actually haul impressive payloads while still delivering fuel economy figures that used to be reserved for diesel hatches not that long ago.

This week we have another truck that we'd like to ask if you want to see in the U.S. market. That truck is the Chevrolet S10.

Lest we forget, the Chevrolet Colorado is no longer in production, but the packaging attributes that made the Colorado a sensible and appealing truck are present in the S10. Available in twin and quad-cab flavors, the Brazilian-market S10 comes with either a 2.4-liter FlexPower gas engine making approximately 139 hp, or a 2.8-liter diesel engine making 177 hp. The gas version comes with a five-speed manual transmission, while the diesel is available with a six-speed manual. The S10 comes is available in 4x2 and 4x4 form, the latter offered only on the quad-cab versions.

The S10 has been on sale in other markets for a couple years ago, and is promised to appear in the U.S. a year from now. Photo by Chevrolet

If there is one thing about this truck that should immediately jump out at you (aside from the fact that it's a 2014 Chevrolet S10 that's not available in North America), it's the ridiculously generous ground clearance. While the first-generation U.S.-market Colorado seemed almost ute-like, the Chevrolet S10 rides high enough off the ground to make a mockery of curbed road medians. The Chevy S10 comes with a 7.5-foot-long bed and a payload capacity of 2,317 pounds. The wheelbase is 121 inches in length, and the S10 is also just a few inches shorter than the Chevrolet Silverado, and its cargo bed sits 4 inches lower than that of the Silverado.

The interiors of the S10 don't skimp on comfort (for this segment, at least), and inside you'll find all the goodies you'd expect to see in stateside Chevrolet trucks: leather seats, a power seat for the driver, cruise control, and MP3 and Bluetooth connectivity. On the outside you get LED taillights, the option of 17-inch aluminum wheels, and optional running boards.

The S10's interior features all the goodies that you've come to expect from Chevrolet cabins. Photo by Chevrolet

How much would you have to pay for all this goodness? Ignoring things like destination charges, taxes, and import duties, in Brazil the twin-cab 2.4-liter 4x2 Chevy S10 starts at 61,490 reals -- which roughly translates into $28,560. The quad-cab version of the same truck starts at $32,322. If you want the diesel powerplant, the 2.8-liter turbodiesel versions of the twin-cab 4x2 Chevy S10 will set you back something in the neighborhood of $40,543.

So would you be interested in a Chevrolet S10 if it were available in the U.S.?

Expect Duratec engines in the Colorado when it comes to our shores. Photo by Chevrolet

If the S10 is your cup of motor oil, don't worry -- we'll get it eventually. In the fall of 2014, to be precise. That's when GM plans to bring the somehow-foreign Chevrolet Colorado (sold in Australia as the Holden Colorado) to the U.S. market, which will also be badged as a GMC Canyon. And engine choices in the stateside version of the Colorado and the GMC Canyon will likely include 2.5-liter and 2.8-liter Duramax turbodiesels, which are currently offered in the Colorado in other markets. But don't expect the diesels to appear any earlier than the fall of 2015.